Closure for window openings and the like



April 3, 1951 a. H. MEADOWS ETAL 2,547,591

CLQSURE FOR WINDQW OPENINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 19, 1948 4 Sheets Sheet l IVENTORS G/mpr H. MEADO ws JOYCE fi. MEHDOWS April 3, 1951 s. H. MEADOWS ETAL 5 5.

i. CLOSURE FOR wmnow OPENINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 19, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IZL. 5Q

' IN V EN TORJ- 6/570) M MEWDOWS JOYCE 6, MEHDOWJ 2, 7,591 CLOSURE FOR WINDOW oPENIms AND THE LIKE Filed Oct, 19, 1948 G- H. MEADOWS EI'AL.

April 3, 1951 4-- Sheets-Sheet 8 W5 YCE 6. MEHPO w:

GRRDYM MEHDO JD April 3, 1951 v G. H. MEADOWS EI'AL CLOSURE FOR WINDOW OPENINGS AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed 001;. 19, 1948 JWW m WWW W,

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Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE FOR WINDOW OPENINGS AND THE LIKE.

Grady H. Meadows and Joyce-R. Meadows, Mount Pleasant, Tex.

Application October 19, 194.8,.SeriaI N0. 5530GT member, it is believed that the principles thereof may be employed with other closure structures.

we are, of course, aware that devices have heretofore been provided for using the weight of the rain to automatically close the window and open the window after the rain has ceased. However, these prior devices have been very complex instructural detail, which makes the mechanisms expensive to manufacture, thereby pre: venting the widespread use of such devices.

An object of our invention is to provide a louver closure for window openings wherein. a simple linkage mechanism which is operable by the rainfall to impart pivotal movement to the louvers and move them to their closed position is employed, thereby preventing the entrance of. rain into the interior of the building.

Another object of. our invention is to provide alouver closure structure for a window opening.

wherein a reservoir for water is located at the lower end of the window opening andi float element islocated within the reservoir and opera.- tively connected with a linkage structure associated. with the louvers so that the rise of the float in the reservoir, due to rainfall, will operate the linkage to move the louvers to a closed position and as the water level falls, due. to the cessation of the rain, the linkage will move the louvers to their open position.

Still another object of our invention is to provide an automatically operated assembly for louver closures wherein a manually controlled deviceis incorporated.therewithfor opening and closing the closure independently of the automatic mechanism.

Broadly, it includes a plurality of pivotally mounted. overlapping louvers of such dimensions as to close the window opening. A wate reservoir or pan issecured to the building structure at a point below the window openinaand a float is disposed within the pan. The float is operatively connected with an arm which moves one of the louvers about itsv pivot, which. movement is simultaneously imparted to the remainder of the'louvers. The arrangement issuch that dur- 8 Claims. (01. 268-423 7 'ing a rainstorm; the rain will run down the lou-- vers into the waterpan or waterreservoi-r, whereupon the metalfloat moves upwardly with the rise of the water in the pan. This upward movement. of the float moves the arm connected with one of the louvers downwardly, thereby movingthe louver" about its pivot; which movement" is. simultaneously"imparted to the remaining. louvers to brin'g'the louversintooverlapping relation andthereby-closing' the window opening. When the rain st ps failing, the water reservoir is provided with apertures to permit the water to escape therefrom, and as the water level inthe invention consistsin the details of construe-- in section illustrating our louver closure and the operatin mechanism therefor.

Figure 21s a view in side elevation of the other side of the closure assembly. Figure 3 is a fragmental view in side elevation illustrating. the mechanism .for locking the. loue versin the openposition. Y

Figure 4. is a. front elevation of. the assembly shown in Figures -'1. and 2.

Figure 5. is a view. inside elevation, partly in section, illustrating the manual control device for. moving the louvers. to their open and closed. positions, the parts being shownwith the. louvers in the open position.

V Figure 6 is a. front .elevational' view showing the. manual controllassembly. Figure 7 is a. view similar to Figure 5 showing the partswith the louvers inthe closed position.

Figure 8 is av perspective view of the manualv control device.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown. a window frame. lll provided withawindow Open ing 11' which isclosedtby our. louver structurev designated generally 12.. The. frame I'll comprises side stiles 13A and. [3B,.. a head jamb l4. and a 3 water pan or reservoir I5 is located at the wall side of the frame and of such length as to extend the full width of the window frame It].

The louver structure |2 includes a plurality of vertically spaced metal vanes l6, each vane being provided with a centrally located horizontally extending rod each outer end of which is journalled in an aperture l8 provided in the side stiles |3A and |3B. It will be noted that the vanes l3 are of such width as to overlap when they are moved to a closed position, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

One of the vanes l6, which will be termed the control vane and designated |6A, has its rod provided with a crank l9, as clearly shown in Figure 4. A disk 20 is attached to the crank in any convenient manner, and a latch element 2| which is pivoted to the side stile |3A, as shown at 22, is provided with a projection 23 adapted to engage a notch 24 in the disk, and a flat spring 25 bearing against the latch 2| and cooperating with a support 26 on the side stile |3A normally will hold the projection in engagement with the notch to maintain the louvers in the full opening position. The free end of the crank extends into an elongated slot 21 formed adjacent the upper end of an elongated arm 28. The elongated arm 28 is provided with an angle piece 29, the horizontal flange of which is adapted to contactan extension 30 on the latch 2| to move the projection out of the notch, as will later be more fully described.

The elongated arm 28 is pivoted to a link 3|,

as shown at 32, the opposite end of the link being pivoted to the free end of a crank-like member 33, as shown at 34. The crank-like member 33 terminates in a horizontally extending portion 35 which is also provided with a crank 35 at the opposite end, the crank 36 being suitably pivoted in the frame of the window. The portion 35 is pivoted, as shown at 31 and 38, to the upper end of an elongated float 39 disposed within the reservoir l5, and the float serves to control the opening and closing of the vanes l6.

1 Referring again to Figures 1 and 4, it will be observed that the right end of each of the pivot rods for the vanes I6 is formed with a crank 40 and each crank projects through an opening 4| provided in an operating lever 42 whereby the pivotal movement of the control vane |6A will likewise be imparted to the other vanes l6.

Normally, the vanes IE will be in their open position, such as shown in Figure 1, and in the event of a rainstorm, the water falling upon the vane |6 will run down these vanes into the reservoir l5. As the water in the reservoir rises, the float 39 will likewise rise, whereupon the crank 33 will move the arm 28 downward. The downward movement of the arm 28 will cause the angle 29 to engage the extension 30 of the latch 2|, thereby moving the latch downwardly with respect to its pivot 22 against the action of the spring 25 so that the projection 23 will be withdrawn from the notch 24. When the arm 28 has moved downwardly to a distance where the upper end of the slot 21 engages the crank IS, the pivot rod H of the control vane |6A will be turned, thereby raising the operating lever 42 up-- wardly by virtue of the cranks 40, thus simultaneously moving all of the vanes IE to a closed position.

Upon the cessation of the rain, the water in the reservoir l5 escapes through spaced leak holes 43 in the bottom of the reservoir, whereupon the float follows the lowering of the water a. 4 level and the downward action of the float will raise the arm 28 upwardly, thereupon rotating the pivot rod of the control vane |6A, which movement in turn moves the operating lever 42 downwardly, thereby effecting simultaneous opening of all the vanes. In this position, the angle 29 is out of engagement with the extension 30, and the spring 25 will then maintain the projection 23 in engagement with the notch 24 on the disk 20, thereby locking the vanes H5 in the open position.

The louver structure above described is particularly designed for the ventilation of attics and the like and, as is more or less common practice, an electric fan is generally located somewhere Within the attic area. In order to prevent any damage to the fan when the vanes l6 are closed, it will be noted that we provide a push button electric switch 44 which is attached to the side stile at a point above the operating lever 42 when the vanes are in their open position. However, when the vanes are moved to the closed position, the upward movement of the lever 42 will actuate the switch 44 to open the circuit to the fan, whereas when the lever is moved downwardly during the opening movement of the vanes IS, the switch is operable to complete the circuit to enable the fan to resume operation.

A drip pan 45 may be mounted on the roomside of the opening and so constructed that the lower end thereof empties into the reservoir |5 to direct any water which may get rearwardly of the vanes into the reservoir. Also, if desired, a screen 46 may be disposed adjacent the upper end of the reservoir to prevent leaves, trash and other foreign matter from entering the reservoir.

The advantages of our invention are thought to be readily apparent from the above, and it will be appreciated that the vanes I6 will not close during a slow rain, since the water will drain out of the reservoir through the leak holes as quickly as it enters the reservoir. Hence, the louvers will close only when there is a hard rainstorm, and experience has demonstrated that the closingaction is effected from between 15 to 30 seconds.

Of course it is appreciated that under certain conditions, it may be desirable to close the louvers when it is not raining and, to accomplish this end, we have shown in Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, a manual control device which does not interfere with the automatic operation of the louvers. In these views, the same reference characters used in connection with Figures 1 to 4 will be employed for corresponding parts, with the exception that they are primed.

It will be noted that a bracket 50 supports a rod 5| for vertical sliding movement relative thereto and that the bracket is suitably supported by the frame ID, as shown at 52. A helical spring 53 surrounds the rod 6|, and the lower end of the spring bears against a collar 54,whereas the upper end engages a horizontal guide 55 of the bracket 50. The spring normally holds the rod downwardly in the position shown in Figures 5 and 6. A cord or other flexible element 56 is attached to the upper end of the rod 5|, as shown at 51, and is trained around a pulley 58 attached to the frame III. The cord then runs over a series of pulleys located within the room, one of which pulleys is designated 59, and the free end of the cord may be located within a, closet or other convenient place within the room.

- A bar 6|] is pivoted at one end to the lower end of the rod 5|, as indicated at 5|, and carries latemf extensions avengers- 62' afid 63, the purpose:-

ofwhich willlaterbe more fully discussed. The

bar is -fiirther'pivo'ted to-the rod upon whi'ch disk 20" i's moun'ted, and the finger 63 carried by the free end of the'bar is'adaptedto contact the upper end'of the elongated arm 28.

- A latch plate 64- is pivotedto the frame, as-

in the closed position in a manner to be later more fully described. The louvers' or vanes 16 are held in the open position by means of projection ii-if provided on the latch element 2|, which projection engagesthe notch '25" in the disk. It will be noted that aleadweight or the like H is carried by the lower-end ofthe latch element 2 l for" maintaining the" projection in engagement with the notch, thereby replacing the spring 25 shown in Figures 1 to 4. The elongated arm 28' supports the angle piece 29' which will engage the extension 30 on the latch element 2| to move the projection away from the notch of the disk 20'.

Assuming the vanes to be in the open position as shown in Figure 5, upon pulling the cord 56 downwardly, it will be appreciated that the rod will be moved upwardly against the action of the spring 53 and simultaneously the bar 60 will be moved upwardly about its pivot. This upward movement of the bar will cause the finger 63 to urge elongated arm 28 downwardly and the downward movement of this arm will move the projection 23' out of the notch 24. As the bar continues its upward movement, the disk 20 will be turned by virtue of the crank l9, and when the finger 62 engages the trigger 6B, the latch plate 64 will be moved upwardly about its pivot 65, and when the trigger slips downward by the finger 62, the latch plate 64 will likewise move downward about its pivot, whereupon the projection 69 will drop into the recess in the disk 20, and in this position the vanes I6 will be in their closed position and will remain in such position as long as desired.

When it is desired to open the vanes IS, a slight pull on the cord 56 will raise the rod 5| and the bar 60 to a point where the finger 62 will contact the trigger 66, thus raising the latch plate 64 which will remove the projection 69 from the notch ill, whereupon the disk will rotate, thus raising arm 28' and crank I3 whereupon projection 23' of the latch element 2! will again engage the notch 24' in the disk 20 and hold the vanes in the openposition as shown in Figure 5. It is thought apparent that the above discussed action will be effected by virtue of the weight of the float 39. By reason of the action of the spring 53, the finger 63 on the bar 60 will engage the latch plate 64 and hold it in a position whereby the projection 69 does not engage the disk 20'. Consequently, it is fully apparent that the mechanism for controlling the louvers automatically is in no sense hindered by the manual control device, since the disk 20 is free to move either clockwise or counterclockwise when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 5.

We claim:

1. A ventilator construction for wall openings comprising a frame, a plurality of vanes pivoted to the frame for closing the wall opening, means interconnecting at of: said vanes, a reservoir supported by the frame below the opening. for

receiving rain draining from: the vanes, a. float mounted within the reservoir, a crank pivoted to the float, anelongated arm pivotally connected.- with said crank, said arm having an elongated slot adjacent its free end, and a crank arm on one of said vanes being disposed in said slot. whereby upward movement of the float by a rise' in water level in the reservoir will move said elongated ar'm downwardly thereby rotating said vane-through said crank arm.

2*. A closure for wall openings as claimed in claim 1 wherein latching means cooperates withwater'thereb enabling the float to fall to effect:

opening of the vanes.

4. A closure for wall openings as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interconnecting means for the vanes includes a crank carried by each vane, and an elongated arm having a plurality of openings, each opening being adapted to receive a crank so that simultaneous movement can be imparted to the vanes.

5. A ventilator construction for wall openings comprising a frame, a plurality of vanes pivoted to the frame for closing the wall opening, means interconnecting all of said vanes, a reservoir supported by the frame below the opening for receiving rain draining from the vanes, a float mounted within the reservoir, a crank pivoted to the float, a link pivoted to the crank, an elongated arm hinged to said link, said arm having an elongated slot adjacent its free end, and a crank arm carried by one of said vanes being disposed in said slot whereby upward movement of the float moves said elongated arm downwardly, thereby rotating said vane through said crank arm.

6. A ventilator construction for wall openings comprisin a frame, a plurality of vanes pivoted to the frame for closing the wall opening, means interconnecting all of said vanes, a reservoir supported by the frame below the opening for receiving rain draining from the vanes, a float mounted within the reservoir, a crank pivoted to the float, a link pivoted to the crank, an elongated arm hinged to said link, said arm having an elongated slot adjacent its free end, a crank arm carried by said vane having its free end disposed in said elongated slot, a disk having at least one notch in its periphery supported by said crank arm, a pivotally mounted latch adapted to engage said notch whereby said vanes will be maintained in the open position, and a trip member on said elongated arm adapted to engage said latch when the elongated arm is moved downwardly by the upward movement of the float, thus movin the latch out of said notch whereupon said crank arm and the interconnecting means will move said vanes to the closed position.

7. A ventilator for wall openings including a frame, a plurality of vanes pivoted to the frame for closing the opening, a reservoir supported by the frame below said opening for receiving rain draining from the vanes, a float mounted within said reservoir, a crank pivoted to the float, an elongated arm pivotally connected with said crank, said arm having an elongated slot adjacent its free end, a crank arm carried by one of said vanes being disposed in said slot whereby upward movement of the float due to the rise in water 7 level in the reservoir will move the elongated arm downwardly thereby rotating said vane through said crank arm, and a manually actuated device associated with said elongated arm to rotate said vane through the crank arm independently of float movement in the reservoir.

8. A ventilator for wall openings including a frame, a plurality of vanes pivoted to the frame for closin the opening, a reservoir supported by the frame below said opening for receiving rain draining from the vanes, a float mounted within said reservoir, a crank arm pivotally connected to said float, an elongated arm pivotally connected with said crank, said arm having an elongated slot adjacent its free end, a crank arm carried by one of said vanes being disposed in said slot, latching means cooperating with said vane crank arm to maintain the vanes in open position, means interconnecting all of the vanes for simultaneous movement, a trip device carried by said elongated arm to move the latching means away from said vane crank arm to enable the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,039,291 Jackle Sept. 24, 1912 1,627,580 Stowers May 10, 1927 1,934,337 Swanson Nov. 7, 1933 2,441,230 Stukes May 11, 1948 

